Find Posts By Topic

Seattle’s Fresh Bucks Program Extends Its Reach

Increasing access to healthy foods for Seattle families

Photo by Naomi Ishisaka

Fresh Bucks, a healthy food program focused on getting more fruits and vegetables into the homes of families with low incomes, closed out a year of record growth in 2018. The program helps Seattle residents afford fruits and vegetables by providing a dollar-for-dollar match of SNAP benefits (food stamps). Additionally, the City distributes Fresh Bucks vouchers that can be used without SNAP benefits to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at participating retailers.

Boosted by Seattle’s Sweetened Beverage Tax, Fresh Bucks expanded the number of locations where Fresh Bucks is honored—including all Seattle Safeway stores. Fresh Bucks not only helps local families eat healthier but also supports our local economy. In 2018, customers leveraged their Fresh Bucks benefits to purchase over $1 million worth of fruits and vegetables from Seattle businesses and farmers markets, more than four times as much as the previous year.

The Fresh Bucks program will continue to grow in 2019. Program enhancements—like an online application and an expanded partner network that will help with outreach and recruitment—are expected to drive participation in the program. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!

For more information on Fresh Bucks, including a complete list of all locations where Fresh Bucks can be used, visit www.freshbuckseattle.org.

Fresh Bucks Fact Sheet – feel free to share!